This week, Kate is joined by Jo Thurston from Parent Talk to discuss why summer holidays can be so tricky for single parents and share some simple tips for making them more manageable and fun. Without the school routine and longer days in the sun, it’s an important time to create new memories and enjoy new activities with your children. However, summer as a single parent can be challenging when you’re doing all of this solo. It might involve more schedules, additional childcare and juggling high expectations. 

About the episode:

Kate and Jo start by explaining why summer holidays can be challenging for single parents, and when’s a good time to start planning them. There are also some tips on how not to over-plan! 

Here are some of the points they cover in this episode to help single parents this summer:

• How to navigate holiday costs
• Where you can look for affordable activities to fit your budget and available time
• Communication tips with your co-parent
• Staying flexible and willing to adjust your schedule
• Why involving your children in holiday planning could be a good idea

About our guest:

Jo is a co-ordinator at Action for Children’s Parent Talk service, which offers free online advice for parents and carers of children aged 0-19, or up to 25 where a young person has special educational needs. Its confidential 1:1 live chat service connects parents and carers directly to an experienced parenting coach for judgement-free practical advice and emotional support, while its online articles answer some of the most common parenting questions.

 Jo first joined Action for Children in 2018 as a Family Support worker in a Children’s Centre. She has a background working in schools and pastoral care and has a particular interest in supporting families impacted by SEND. 

More resources:

You can learn more about Action For Children and how they can help you on their website. For parenting advice, visit Parent Talk to explore their resources and have a one-to-one chat with a parenting coach. 

You can also book a 90-minute Separating With Children session with amicable to create a parenting plan for the summer holidays. 

We'd love to know how we can help you further. Share your questions on divorce, separation and co-parenting with us at [email protected], through direct messages on Instagram or by starting a new forum thread on amicable’s advice forum. They might just be the topic of a future episode!

If you think your co-parenting might need a boost this summer, and you’re sharing arrangements with a co-parent, friend or family member, our Co-parenting App might be for you.

You can also get in touch with amicable for more information on the legal, financial and parenting aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert today. 

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